Monday, August 4, 2014

Toxic algae contaminates Toledo’s water

Environment News Service: More than 400,000 residents of Toledo, Ohio’s fourth largest city, are without water following the detection of the toxin Microcystin in the public water system, caused by an algal bloom in the area.

On Saturday, Governor John Kasich, a Republican, declared a state of emergency for Lucas County, where Toledo is located, and neighboring Wood and Fulton counties. This declaration allows state government to maximize the use of its resources to support local authorities in addressing this situation. The state Emergency Operation Center was activated Saturday.

State and local officials are working together to arrange for drinking water to be shipped into the affected areas. Eleven water distribution sites at fire departments and schools are open today, the second day of the emergency, but residents must bring their own containers to most of them.

To date, 33,000 gallons of potable water have been produced by the Ohio National Guard, and 15,000 additional gallons in collapsible containers have been distributed along with 9,000 cases of water. Additional deliveries are arriving on a regular basis.

The American Red Cross of Northwest Ohio is activating volunteers to assist with bulk distribution of water. Water at retail stores has been restocked...

June 2009 – At the studios of Cleanskies TV, I was interviewed about the costs of climate change, and discussed adaptation efforts underway in the US and around the world.

May 2009 – I helped draft the scenarios for Rising Waters, a multistakeholder scenarios effort focused on climate change adaptation in the Hudson Valley. The final report is now completed and available here.

May 2008 – I reviewed two books on climate and energy in the New Leader magazine: James Gustave Speth's The Bridge at the Edge of the World: Capitalism, the Environment and Crossing from Crisis to Sustainability, plus Robert Bryce's Gusher of Lies: The Dangerous Delusions of Energy Independence.

January 2008 – A very local paper covers a very global issue.... The Litchfield County Times in northwestern Connectictut ran an article in January 2008 about Carbon-Based.

Now available: Climate Change Adaptation in 2011

A selection of my writings from 2011, plus some of my posts, as well as links... all focusing on the risks of climate change